Seated statue of King Enma at Jorakuji Temple

In Buddhism, it is said that the dead are judged one after another in the underworld (Buddha's world) by 10 kings who judge sins and deeds, and the world in which they will live is determined. This belief in the Ten Kings was established at the end of the Tang Dynasty in China, spread to Japan in the late Heian period, and became very popular during the Kamakura period. It is said that the influence of Taoism is strong in the fact that the ten kings wear crowns, wear Tao costumes, hold scepters, and appear to be angry. Enmaou is one of these ten kings and is known as the king of hell. Also, King Enma's younger sister is called Datsuba, a demon woman who tears off people's clothes on the banks of the Sanzu River and hands them to the old man in the tree. It is said that
At Jorakuji Temple in Higashi-Naganuma, there is a seated statue of King Enma, a cultural property designated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It is located in the inner sanctum of Amida-do (main hall), to the right of the Amida Triad statue, along with the Datsuba-zo statue.
This statue of King Enma is a seated statue with a height of 98.3 centimeters and is made of Yosegi-zukuri construction. The entire piece is colored, representing the aspect of open anger (kaikofunnu), and is made with jade eyes (gyokugankannyu).
On the inside of the statue, there is a message that says, ``Bushu Tama, Naganuma Village, Jukozan, Jodoin Jorakuji Temple Chief Priest.'' Self-made by Gondai Sozutosha Hoin Seizan Unkai, Genroku 12th Uten Leap September Day There is an ink calligraphy of ``Junkyu Getsujitsu,'' which was created in 1669 by Seizan Unkai, the chief priest of Jōraku-ji Temple, and is thought to have existed at Jōraku-ji Temple from the beginning. I will.
Created with skillful carving techniques, it can be said to be an outstanding piece of Buddhist statues from the mid-Edo period that exists in Minamitama.